Former co-chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Figen Yüksekdağ, has been behind bars since November 2016 as well as the other co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş and a number of deputies who are facing terrorism charges because of their legal political activities, including speeches and comments.

The second hearing in the case, in which Yüksekdağ stands trial for allegedly “insulting the Turkish nation, the Turkish Republic State and Turkish judiciary”, was held at Ankara 12th Heavy Penal Court on Wednesday. Yüksekdağ attended the hearing via the video conferencing system SEGBIS from the Kandıra F Type Prison where she is jailed.

“I DO NOT TRUST THE JUDICIARY OF THIS COUNTRY”

Highlights from Yüksekdağ’s statement of defense are as follows:

“The political power exerts its shadow and pressure on judiciary. I am a deputy who had her MP and co-chair status usurped but who is still considered a representative by the people. My right to be a deputy was granted by the people.

The government officials themselves state that they are not going to release us. I have been arrested twice in the same lawsuit. The people of Turkey and Europe are also aware of the injustices being done. Having been through these dark times, neither we nor our people have any trust left. No good can be expected from this country which has lost its judiciary even. The political power has dragged this society to an unfortunate course. I do not trust the judiciary of this country.

We have been subject to a political operation through statutory decrees. Today, the government is forced to review its own activities that will indeed become a nuisance for itself in the future. There can be no such a legal order. A country cannot be ruled with statutory decrees. They have created a total chaos.”

The court adjourned the hearing to 27 February 2020.